It is easy to misunderstand James Cone, because the popular understanding of biblical terms often differs greatly from the way that theologians interpret the Bible.

For example, Margaret Talev quotes James Cone as teaching that, "the United States was a white racist nation and the white church was the Antichrist for having supported slavery and segregation." This sounds offensive, because we think of "The Antichrist" as the ultimate embodiment of evil, who shows up right before Armageddon (think Michael York with poorly computer-enhanced glowing eyes). But the early church classified anything that challenged the central message of the gospel as "anti-Christ" (see 1 John).

Cone's statement is true in the sense that supporting slavery and segregation is, in fact, "anti-Christian" or "anti-teachings-of-Christ." The southern white evangelical/fundamentalist church was absolutely in the wrong on this issue. It did nothing when people like Clarence Jordan were persecuted. It generally defended traditional segregation and white supremacy, or it hid behind the mantle of "law and order."

And then there is this:

"Together, black religion and Marxist philosophy may show us the way to build a completely new society."

Asked about that, Cone said: "I'm not a Marxist. . . . I'm a theologian, and I want to change society. I was searching for my way forward. I want a society in which people have the distribution of wealth, but I don't know how quite to do that institutionally."

He said that the idea of a black Jesus didn't mean Jesus necessarily looked like a black African, but it did rule out Jesus being a white European. More importantly, he said it meant that Jesus "made a solidarity with the (oppressed) people of the land."

We often forget this well-documented aspect of the New Testament church:

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47 ESV)

And every fiftieth year, the nation of Israel was commanded to observe a jubilee year, during which all debts would be forgiven and land would be returned to its original owners. (Leviticus 25)

Of course the difference between what we read in the Bible and what we see in modern Marxist states is that the Bible implores believers to practice generosity out of free will, whereas in Marxist nations wealth is confiscated at the end of a gun barrel and anyone who refuses to fully comply is imprisoned as an enemy of the state.

All Marxist/Stalinist governments are evil. Although they nominally practice redistribution of wealth, they oppress and persecute their citizens and they attempt to advance their ideology through violence and intimidation. No Christian can deny that, even though some Christians support the philosophy of equal distribution of wealth. But the same time, it is worth remembering that our American ideals of "rugged individualism" and "pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps" are not Biblical values either.